Summer Fire: Love When It’s Hot
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: dba 7th House Publishing, Imprint of Andromeda LLC
Date of Publication: May 26, 2015
ISBN: 9781507060469
ASIN: B00U1DZH7C
Number of pages: 1,610
Word Count: 483,000
Cover Artist: Victoria Danann
Description:
20 ALL NEW summer romances by New York Times, USA Today, and National Bestselling authors.
Love when it’s hot? So do we. Especially when we’re writing about gritty alphas, angsty bad boys, sizzling attraction, and unrequited passion. Military, cowboy, biker, humor, second chance love, and more.
SO LOOSEN YOUR BUTTONS, TURN THE FAN TO OSCILLATE, AND JOIN US FOR THIS STEAMY, GROUNDBREAKING BUNDLE OF SUMMER TALES THAT ARE HOT HOT HOT.
1. Gennita Low Sizzle Spies, Lola and Jake, fall hard for each other. Is their love strong enough for one assignment that would risk everything?
2. R.J. Lewis Sinful Two different people from two different worlds find their lives colliding in the most sinful way.
3. L. Wilder Summer Storm VP Guardrail’s life has always been his MC club. It’s up to him to fix a wrong, but he wasn’t expecting Allie to take him by storm.
4. Victoria Danann A Season in Gemini The first time sexy biker, Brant Fornight, saw Garland St. Germaine, he knew she was going to turn him inside out. And she did.
5. Kym Grosso Solstice Burn Love and temptation flare in a tropical paradise. When Chase rescues Penny, she learns to embrace her inner fantasies.
6. Cat Miller Sun Burnt Kesslyn inherits a ranch, but the city girl is unsure she’s up for the challenge. Can her sexy foreman rope her into staying forever?
7. Mimi Barbour Big Girls Don’t Cry He’s everything she’s ever wanted in a man. And she’s nothing like the girl she wants to be. Something’s gotta change…
8. Clarissa Wild Killer Secrets could kill you. He murdered her husband. She’s the prime suspect seeking justice. Only one of them can win.
9. Teresa Gabelman Rodeo Romance Jake McCabe had one rule. Never date a client. Trisha Summers had a new rule. Never date a man again. Rules were meant to be broken.
10. Helen Scott Taylor Irish Kisses Ten years ago he said he loved her, then he left and broke her heart. Now he’s back, and he wants her again, but can she trust him?
11. Victoria James Sweet Surrender Cade showing up on her doorstep is not what Julia wants-but this bad-boy is back and ready to convince her that this time is forever…
12. Mona Risk Husband for a Week A Sicilian vendetta, a fake husband, and a matchmaking grandmother complicate Jonathan and Isabella’s lives. Can love conquer all?
13. Patrice Wilton A Man for Hire Jordon’s ex-boyfriend is bringing home a bride. To save face she hires a hot guy for the weekend. Sparks fly–can this be love?
14. Linda Barlow My Mile-High Mistake Six years ago, she yearned for her sexy, forbidden high school teacher. Now she can’t resist his temptation at 35,000 feet.
15. Joan Reeves Heat Lightning Her husband found her, claimed her, rescued her. His touch makes her throb. Her body knows him, but she remembers nothing about him.
16. Danielle Jamie Tan Lines and Salty Kisses Becca and Parker have a second chance at summer romance. The spark is hotter than a Georgia July. Can it withstand news of his secret?
17. Terri Marie Someone Exactly Like You Cameron Barron’s plan was solid. A few lies, a disguise, and an apology to Chastity Newberry… What could possibly go wrong?
18. Lorhainne Eckhart His Promise A love they thought would last forever. A promise forgotten. Until one summer night.
19. Brandy L Rivers Summer Rhythm Doug never could resist Chloe. She always runs. Will this time be different or is their summer rhythm destined to repeat.
20. Nicole Blanchard Anchor I thought it was a weekend from hell, until he showed me a little piece of heaven.
Summer Rhythm
Brandy L Rivers
Copyright 2015 Brandy L Rivers
Cover Design by Brandy L Rivers
Edited by Shaner Media Creations
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Chapter 1
Intending to head for the bar, Chloe got lost in a daydream when she stepped through the door. A familiar song caught her attention. Glancing up, her gaze locked on her biggest regret.
Molten brown eyes, shaggy brown hair, perfectly curved lips twisted in a sinful smirk. That sexy mouth, and talented fingers—and damn, the man could play an instrument. Nearly any.
Smoldering eyes locked on hers for a brief second, igniting hope. Then his brow furrowed as he looked away. Closing his lids, Doug Walsh threw himself into the music like he wanted to banish her from his mind. She couldn’t blame him.
Her desire was a cruel twist of fate. He was even hotter than the last time she saw him, eight years ago. A twinge of guilt thrummed through her and she turned, with the intention of walking out the door.
Someone looped their arm through hers and dragged her toward the bar.
“Thought I mentioned your favorite mistake was playing tonight,” Jackie sing-songed. They’d been best friends since kindergarten. As much as Chloe loved her, Jackie was going to torture her.
She didn’t want to think about the way she’d let Doug in, only to shut him out the next morning. Not once, but twice.
Hopeless, she looked over. “If you had, I wouldn’t have come.”
With a dejected sigh, she climbed onto a stool and dropped her chin into her hand. Nodding at the bartender, she ordered, “Long Island, please?”
Bartender dipped his head in acknowledgement.
Jackie nudged her. “Why not? Clearly you’re still hung up on him. I saw your reaction.”
“He probably hates me.”
“Nah. He never let it slow him down.”
Her mouth fell open. “Are you saying Doug turned into a man-whore?”
Jackie’s brow scrunched. “Not exactly. Though he doesn’t have a problem picking up women.”
“That’s karma for you.” Chloe turned to find her drink. Tracing the disposable coaster, she took a sip from the tall glass before asking, “Why did you invite me here?”
“Figured it would be like old times. Only without having to sneak into bars.”
Chloe giggled. “What the hell. He’s already seen me and the worst he can do is ignore my sorry ass.”
A smirk lifted one corner of Jackie’s mouth as she looked to the stage. “Doubt he’ll ignore you long. He can’t seem to keep his eyes off you.”
Unsure what to say, she kept her mouth closed. It wasn’t like she could turn back time and stay those two nights.
Jackie led her to the stage. Chloe’s eyes landed on the lead singer of Nights Embrace. Roxy was pregnant—like way pregnant.
“Holy shit!” Chloe leaned in to ask, “Tell me Jordan didn’t knock her up.”
“Not a chance. She dumped him years ago. Though Jordan’s not the ass he used to be. Roxy married an Irish hunk from a different band. You’ll have to come early enough to see his group play sometime. But he’ll be singing Nights Embrace’s last song with her.”
“And the guys? What have they been up to?”
“Like I said, Jordan straightened up his act. He even has a girlfriend. Mike’s with a feisty woman, they’re perfect together. And Doug is still flying solo.”
“You like to torture me, don’t you,” she shot back.
Jackie shrugged, attempting an innocent smile as she glanced up at the ceiling.
“You’re here for good, right? You’ve always wanted to fix things. Well, now’s your chance.”
Chloe glared back. “He’s avoiding looking at me.”
“Yeah, because he wanted more than one night, and you bailed on him. Twice.”
“Totally agree. Can’t blame him if he ignores my existence.” That’s why she tried to forget the boy who stole her heart with his big brown eyes, and passion for music. He wasn’t afraid to be true to himself.
For too many years, she tried to please her parents until she finally realized she needed to live for herself.
Chloe made it into Brown University and graduated at the top of her class. Then she went on to medical school against her parent’s wishes. Had they paid attention, they would have realized she ditched the idea of being a lawyer before her first day of college. Her mother had always been more interested in trying to get Chloe to fit her mold.
She came back to Seattle exactly once while away at college. That first summer break when she got swept up in Doug on a warm lazy evening. Then she remembered the next seven years she’d be in Connecticut, across the country. A long distance relationship, distracting from her studies, was the last thing she needed.
Her mother found out she’d spent the night with Doug. Mom had laid into her about how improper it was to be fooling around with a kid who would never go anywhere, a poor two-bit musician, as opposed to a young man worthy of.
In tears, she got herself to the airport and left for good, or so she thought. Her excuse was that she needed to prepare for her next semester. In reality, she needed to find herself.
Part of her hoped she would find Doug, confess everything, and he would forgive her. If his scowl was any indication, it was far too late.
* * * *
Can I resist her this time around?
Probably fucking not.
Doug tried to forget the longing on Chloe Mae’s beautiful face when she walked in and her eyes landed on him. She’d already stabbed him in the heart twice. The night of graduation, and again the following summer.
He wished like hell she didn’t still affect him. She always had, probably always would.
Stupid considering she’d proven he was nothing more than a hot bod and a decent lay. Both times, she disappeared without a word, no explanation, nothing. This time, he wasn’t falling for her sexy smile and pouty lips. She would have no problem finding another man to keep her satisfied.
Mindlessly keeping tempo, he strummed the bass rhythm and scanned the crowd. Right there, two feet in front of him, she stood with Jackie Oceans. Chloe’s eyes were locked on his. Her expression somewhere between lust and—guilt?
Can’t be guilt. Even if it is, she’ll only pull the same stunt.
Thank god. Time for the last song. Maybe everyone would be ready to leave early.
Trevor walked on to sing with Roxy, and he couldn’t help smiling at the pair. They were so damned perfect together. And Mike found his match. Even Jordan was happily monogamous even if they were still in the fuck-like-bunnies stage and not a real couple.
Maybe one day he’d find love.
His eyes travelled the crowd and landed once again on Chloe who stood perfectly still, watching his every move. Why did she look so hopeless?
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